PREP FOOTBALL '98 / ORANGE LEAGUE

Facts And Figures / Playoff History

Highlights: Played in front of the biggest crowd in championship game history, tying Downey, 13-13, for the 1956 Major Division title in front of 41,383 at the Coliseum. Beat Santa Ana for the 1967 championship and won a Minor League title in 1940.

Brea Olinda

Last appearance: 1997.

Record: 31-20 in 24 appearances since 1945.

Highlights: During five-year stretch (1959-63), won 13 of 14 playoff games, 1-A titles in 1959, '61 and '62 and a 2-A championship in 1963. Four championship game victories were by an average of 20 points.

Magnolia

Last appearance: 1985.

Record: 2-3 in three appearances.

Highlights: Won its first playoff game, in 1963 over Buena Park.

Savanna

Last appearance: 1997.

Record: 6-8 in nine appearances.

Highlights: Four of six playoff victories came in the run to the 1993 Division VI championship, including a 20-13 decision over Whittier in the title game.

Valencia

Last appearance: 1997 (second year in a row).

Record: 29-15 in 18 appearances since 1945.

Highlights: Had 15-year playoff appearance streak (1980-94). Won a Central Conference title in 1987, and Division VI championships in 1991 and '92.

Western

Last appearance: 1996.

Record: 11-14 in 14 appearances.

Highlights: Behind quarterback Bobby Acosta, advanced to 4-A championship games in first two playoff appearances, losing to Bishop Amat in 1971 and St. Paul in 1972.

1997 IN REVIEW

It was a strange season in the Orange League.

Magnolia was undefeated through seven games, but didn't make the playoffs. Valencia won only three of its first 10 games, but advanced to the postseason for the 16th time in the last 17 seasons. Western was hammered by Savanna, 39-19, then came back the next week and led league champion Brea Olinda until giving up an 84-yard drive in the final minutes and losing, 17-14.

The only thing that was sort of predictable was the Wildcats.

Brea Olinda had only one lapse during the season, a 19-0 loss to Sunny Hills in the third week. The Wildcats managed only three first downs in a game that could qualify as another strange twist involving Orange League teams because Brea Olinda came back to score an average of 24 points per game in its next nine victories.

The Wildcats rolled through the first two rounds of the playoffs, defeating El Modena, 31-11, and Woodbridge, 27-0. Brea Olinda was then stopped just short against Tustin, 9-7, in the semifinals.

Savanna was one of Brea Olinda's early victims, losing by 27 points in the league opener. The Rebels, however, won their next four, including back-to-back shutouts to finish league play.

In the final game of the regular season, Valencia slipped into the Division V playoffs by defeating Western, 27-20, with three consecutive second-half touchdowns. The loss also ended Western's playoff hopes.

Magnolia was unbeatable through its first seven games, but then lost consecutive games to Savanna (34-25), Western (27-20) and Brea Olinda (26-21). The Sentinels then lost a coin flip with Valencia and Savanna that ended their season abruptly.